How do you clean your lens whilst out?

[Ari]

Taking some photos of big waves breaking a while back, and the biggest problem was all the salt spray in the air. Wiping the lens just created a load of smearing.

So I was wondering, when you're out and about and there's drizzly rain or salt spray or dust or whatever else might be causing issues, how do you keep your lens clean and smear free?

[GetCarter]

I get rid of excess water with a soft spectacle cleaning cloth (or soft tissue), then breath on the lens and clean again with a DIFFERENT spectacle cleaning cloth.... and repeat part two until it's clear.

ETA it's the breathing bit that makes all the difference.

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 30th December 16:08

[Simpo Two]

And a lens hood helps keep it off in the first place.

[JSS 911]

As above and a hood gives a bit of protection,plus keep your lens cap on for as long as pos.

[GetCarter]

Simpo Two said:

And a lens hood helps keep it off in the first place.

Indeed. I always have a lens hood.

And when it rains I go home. That helps a lot.

[AndrewEH1]

Keep lens cap on if you aren't using it for a long period, +20mins for me.

I have a large lens cleaning/microfibre cloth that does the job when I'm out and about.

[jimmy156]

I have one of these in my bag...



soft brush on one end, which gets rid of the dust, velvety pad on the other, which (combined with breathing on the glass) gets rid of smudges.

Cost about a fiver from 7dayshop.com, have been using it for years!

[markmullen]

A combination of small microfibre towels, lens cloths and lens pens.

[Ari]

jimmy156 said:

I have one of these in my bag...



soft brush on one end, which gets rid of the dust, velvety pad on the other, which (combined with breathing on the glass) gets rid of smudges.

Cost about a fiver from 7dayshop.com, have been using it for years!

Nifty! Need one of them.

At the mo I use glasses cleaning cloths and lens spray but its a faff.

[RobDickinson]

Tshirt first, microfiber cloth and optic cleaner second.

[PJ S]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270515688770

Forget your piddling wee postage stamp eyeglass cloths.

Edited by PJ S on Monday 31st December 15:00

[Pupp]

All this wiping and scraping with various implements, I take it that's not directly of the lens optics themselves but of UV filters (or whatever is fitted)?

[CommanderJameson]

Pupp said:

All this wiping and scraping with various implements, I take it that's not directly of the lens optics themselves but of UV filters (or whatever is fitted)?

No, I clean the front and rear elements of my lenses with my lenspen regularly.

[markmullen]

Pupp said:

All this wiping and scraping with various implements, I take it that's not directly of the lens optics themselves but of UV filters (or whatever is fitted)?

Most of the pros I work with breathe on their front element and give it a rub on their shirt. You'd be amazed how resilient they are.

[Ari]

PJ S][url]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270515688770[url said:

Forget your piddling wee postage stamp eyeglass cloths.

Bought! (From Amazon, bit cheaper)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kent-Q6900-Microfibre-Glas...

[Pupp]

markmullen said:

Most of the pros I work with breathe on their front element and give it a rub on their shirt. You'd be amazed how resilient they are.

That's reassuring but haven't Nikon recently issued a bulletin warning against breathing on lenses (something to do with coatings being vulnerable IIRC)?

[markmullen]

They have, it has almost universally been dismissed as cobblers.

[GetCarter]

Pupp said:

markmullen said:

Most of the pros I work with breathe on their front element and give it a rub on their shirt. You'd be amazed how resilient they are.

That's reassuring but haven't Nikon recently issued a bulletin warning against breathing on lenses (something to do with coatings being vulnerable IIRC)?

I've been breathing on lenses since the 1970s (not the sort of thing I thought I'd say as a last post in 2012!!). Never done me or the lenses any harm. Nikon would, of course say such a thing, just like Audi say you need to check your oil levels every day, and the Post Office now issue guidelines about not delivering to houses with dogs. Yea right, I think we know why. The words back and covering spring to mind.

[LongQ]

Originally lens optical glass could be somewhat softer that 'regular' glass and then when multicoating was introduced there was good potential for damaging the coatings - which were also "soft". But that quickly changed.

Make sure that anything you do use is not full of dirt and anything abrasive of course. If you get something stubborn on the glass sandpaper, emeryboards and sand or shot blasting are not recommended. But apart for that most things used sensibly should be fine. Anything sold as a lens cleaning fluid SHOULD be not only a cleaner/grease remover but also evaporate rapidly with the intention of leaving a smear free surface.

If you are specifically concerned about wet then a face cloth or one of those windscreen cleening cloths made from a toweling type of material are usually pretty efficient but paper kitchen rolls or toilet tissue can be quicker and arguably more effective.

Lens pens are for getting rid of residual 'grease' marks. Just make sure the end cap stays on when it's in your bag/pocket.

[JDRoest]

Waves and salt....?

So it's just me that licks the lens clean of the salt and water, then breathes heavy on it, and then wipes the glass with my sleeve?

(Glass as in optical lens cap).